I worked 38.4 hours this week!  I’m exhausted and I so need to go grocery shopping and put fresh sheets on my bed, tomorrow.  I just had no time for anything other than work and spending a little bit of time on the computer.

We had a blast at the Belgium, WI fireworks tonight.  Gary, Dawn, Sarah, Emily, Ted, Edie, Wendy, and Jenny, along with Gary’s siblings and the niece and nephew, along with some other of Lila’s friends.  We had quite a crowd, in Lila’s yard.  I loved being able to visit with everyone, while we waited for it to get dark.

I’m looking forward to sleeping late tomorrow, or at least having a lazy morning, if I don’t really sleep that late and those sheets are going in the wash, as soon as we are all up!

1. How many times a month/year do you see the sunrise?
In the summer, hardly ever, because it comes up so early.  Today, I woke up and had to take the dog out at 5am and it was actually BEFORE the sunrise, but I didn’t stay outside to see it rise.  In the winter, probably everyday, since it’s rising, when I take the kids to school! LOL!
2. How many times a week/month do you see the sunset?
Almost everyday, since we are up and about.  Sometimes I’m working and can’t really see it and sometimes we are busy, inside, in the evening and can’t see it, but I’m usually aware of the sun setting and watching to see it’s a pretty one.
3. Do you go out at night and “gaze” at the stars?
Yeah, every night, when I’m out with my dog.  I live in the city, though, so I’m sure I’m not getting the whole picture, because it’s too bright.
4. Do you ever look for star clusters, such as the big dipper, etc?
Yes, I wish I knew more about the different constellations.  The Big Dipper, Orion (the hunter), and Cassiopeia (woman with a chair - looks like a big W), are the only ones I can recognize, for sure.
5. Do you look for planets at night (with or without a telescope)?
Yes.  I often see Venus, as the sun is setting.  A few years ago, I got to see Mars, all summer. (This is without a telescope.)
6. Are you able to see the northern lights where you live? If so, about how often do they come around?
I live in WI, where we only rarely see northern lights, but a few years ago, we really got to see them, and it was sooo cool.
7. Do you like going outside during a thunderstorm and watching the lightning?
No, I’d rather watch from inside a building!  LOL!  I had lightning flash really close to me, once, when I was out with my dog.  It was kind of freaky. 
8. Do you have any really neat weather pictures? PLEASE, feel free to share them!
  This was fog around a mountain, on the way to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, from Rapid City, South Dakota.  By the time we got to WY, the fog was clearing and there was no fog, at Devil’s Tower.  My daughter, Sarah, took the picture.

The design is called Moss Ivy Facecloth. It is pretty now that it’s all done! The lacy part does look like ivy, twisting and turning all over the cloth. It was an experience knitting it, but I managed to keep track of where I was in the pattern, as I put it down and picked it up again.

Finished cloth

Detail shot

 I had off today, so I had a lot of catching up to do!  I had to do the last 2 rows of Day 2, since I messed up something last night and had to redo it.  Then I did rows 21-29 of Day 3 AND rows 30-39 of Day 4!  In the last row, I kept messing stuff up and losing a stitch.  I might have been forgetting the first yarnover, but I’m not sure.  At least it’s done now!

 End of Day 3 rows:

End of Day 4 rows:

Isn’t it pretty?  It’s Sugar N Cream Summer Prints yarn and #7 needles.  I loved the little splashes of color! Lacy designs take a lot of concentration!

Since it’s summer here in North America, the following questions are all about this season. Have fun and thank you all for playing! =)

1. In your opinion, what is the perfect summer daytime temperature?
About 75, with a gentle breeze, and low humidity.  Aaah!  It’s warmer and humid today, though.  Supposed to have storms tonight, but my flowers could use some rain.
2. What is the perfect nighttime temperature?
Low 60’s, with low humidity. 
3. Do you plant many flowers around your yard?
Yes, definitely, it’s my favorite part of summer!  This year, we planted some lilies, dinner plate dahlias, and gaillardia fanfare flowers and are so excited to see them blooming.  Some we are still waiting for, though!
4. How much lawn do you have to mow? Do you enjoy mowing lawn?
Probably too much lawn!  Our lot is 100 ft wide and 184 feet long, and our house is little!  It takes 1-1/2 hours to do the lawn, by yourself.  Fortunately, we have 2 lawnmowers, so if both of us get out there, it takes much less time.  I like making the grass look nicer, so I guess lawnmowing is gratifying.  (I didn’t help hubby this last time and now I’m feeling guilty.)  We have walk-behind lawnmowers, because riders are expensive, but both of us need the exercise, so it’s good.
5. Of the summer months, which is your favorite?
July, I think, because we always get the WHOLE month off, from school.  Also, it has 4th of July in it, and we all love the parade and watching the fireworks with friends.  Also, it’s usually pretty warm in July, too.  It just doesn’t have any issues with it.  In August, first we have my daughter’s birthday and then we are busy buying school supplies.  It always seems that August goes by SOOOOO fast, and what makes it worse is that you notice that it’s getting dark sooner and sooner every night and you can’t stay out as late doing stuff. It’s just a reminder that fall is coming.
6. Do you take a long vacation each summer?
Yes, in 2005, we went to Niagara Falls and in 2006, we went to South Dakota and the northeast corner of WY, to see Devil’s Tower.  This year, we are staying closer to home and going to the Ashland/Bayfield/Duluth/Superior areas of Wisconsin and Minnesota.  Kids and hubby haven’t ever seen Lake Superior!  I drove up there once, when I was still single, but it was kind of a rotten day, so I don’t think I got that great of a view of it!
7. Is summer your favorite season? If so, why? If not, why not?
I like summer, because of barefeet, sandals, no jackets, and being able to run outside without bundling up.  I dislike summer, because the hot/humid weather just about kills me!  We live close to Lake Michigan, so have plenty of moisture with which to make humidity!

On the other hand, in WI, we do have breaks in the humidity and occasional days, when it’s so much more pleasant outside.  I don’t think I could live down south, because I would hate endless days of hot, humid weather!

Actually, I finished it a long time ago, already!  LOL!  I just today, got around to taking a photograph and getting it posted.  The picture ended up being a unicorn!  It’s periwinkle Sugar N Cream cotton yarn.

Good Morning! Here are this week’s questions. Have fun and have a great week! =)

1. Do you listen to the radio, or a CD, when you’re driving in your car/truck/SUV?
Sometimes we listen to the radio, sometimes we listen to cds, and sometimes we listen to the iPod!  I love having music playing, in my car.
2. Do you have one of those GPS systems in your vehicle?
No, don’t want to spend the money.
3. About how many miles do you put on your vehicle in a month?
Not very many, since DH does a lot of the driving.  We also have a diesel-powered VW Passat TDI and really try to drive that more, on the weekends, since it gets much better fuel economy, than my 1998 Ford Taurus.
4. Do you have your oil changed regularly?
Definitely.  DH keeps track of that.
5. Do you take your vehicle to a car wash or do you wash it at home?
We do both!  Sometimes go out and sometimes DH will wash it at home.  I like going to the place where they vacuum the inside and wash the windows!  LOL!  It’s expensive, though, so it doesn’t happen very often.  More times, we go to the quickie car wash, where you just drive through!
6. How often do you have the inside of your vehicle cleaned? Do you do it yourself or do you pay someone to do it?
Not as often as it probably should be, and since I let my dog come in the car so much, it’s a losing battle.  I would have to vacuum my car everyday, to get rid of all the dog fur and wash the windows everyday, to get rid of all the nose marks!
7. What is the color of your vehicle?
Dark blue (My favorite!)

I woke up to a temp of 45 this morning, although it didn’t feel THAT cold to me, when I was out with the dog.  We eventually got up into the 60’s, but it still felt chilly all day, because it was really windy and the wind wasn’t very warm.

So, tomorrow, brings 90 degree temps and the threat of severe weather.  I tell you, never a dull moment, here in southeastern WI. 

Sunday is still forecast to by 70 and sunny, when we have Sarah’s high school graduation!  Yikes!  How did she get so old, so fast?  Where did my baby go?  She is looking forward to studying nursing at UW-Oshkosh, in the fall!

I have surpassed 5000 pages of reading, so far this year!  My book page was just updated today!  I’m glad to be on to some chick-lit, after reading 3 different treatises on Theodore Roosevelt’s trip down a Brazilian river, back in 1913-1914!  It was interesting, but I’m done with that now!

It’s 47 degrees outside, according to my household thermometer AND Weather Underground!  It didn’t feel THAT cold, when I was out with the dog, but I had on my winter jacket anyway, since I’m just wearing a t-shirt in the house and didn’t feel like bundling up with the lighter jackets.  I wonder how cold it will be, in the morning!

I finished the June monthly KAL today.  It’s a unicorn!  I’ll get a picture of it, tomorrow, when the light is better.  There is no place bright enough, in my house, at night and it won’t look right!  I’m struggling with some booties.  I’m not that well-versed in picking up previously knitted stitches.  Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

I’m off to bed, to get warm and continue reading Through the Brazilian Wilderness, about Teddy Roosevelt’s trip down an uncharted Amazon tributary!  It’s the 3rd book I’m reading, about the topic!  I’ve also read River of Doubt and My Last Chance to Be a Boy!  In the current book, he goes on and on and on, about how horrible the bugs are!  Ewww.  It doesn’t make me want to go to the rainforest anytime soon!  LOL!

1. When is the last time you planned for a party/social gathering at your house?
Three years ago, May of 2004.
2. What type of event was it?
Sarah’s confirmation
3. Do you enjoy hosting parties at your house, or do you find the preparation stressful?
I find it rather stressful, because I have to get the house cleaned up.
4. Do you tend to have a lot more food than needed for these events, or are you pretty good about estimating how much to serve?
We had plenty of food, but I don’t think we had too much left over.
5. Some people have gatherings at their homes on a regular basis because it forces them to really CLEAN. How do you feel about this?
That’s probably true, since I’m not so good on keeping up with the cleaning!  LOL!  I should be cleaning now!  Argh.